Sweet Dreams
by Totally Anime
Summary: After leaving the spirit world, Chihiro continues to dream about Haku, but there's something different about him. It's almost... scary, but only almost. HakuxChihiro oneshot


**Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away.**

**Sweet Dreams Oneshot**

Chihiro drew a deep, deep breath, and then plunged herself into the water desperately, shutting her eyes tight so that no water would sting her eyes. She slowly opened them underwater, hesitantly, frightfully. She strained herself to keep them open because she wanted to see it. She wanted to see the world in the water.

Beneath her lay a familiar setting: rows and rows of food shops, gaudy advertisements, green grass, traditional-style lanterns and more importantly the bath house of spirits. It all lay at the bottom of the ocean, standing in all its glory like a proud, yet forgotten legend.

Chihiro stared at it for a while longer in disbelief. She knew it couldn't be real. Her ability to stay underwater for so long without air proved that.

But what she wouldn't give to see his face once more.

It was strange. Chihiro could hear as if she were above water and yet, she clearly wasn't. She floated above the little village and drifted to and fro along the current. She could see the rainbow of fish swim past her, hurrying along just like the workers of the bathhouse. She wanted to sink further down.

'_Haku,_' she thought, twisting her body so that she could swim down. The area seemed deserted, free of any spirit, but Chihiro wouldn't believe that until she saw for herself. She needed to see this through.

She landed on that same ominous bridge as she did the first day she arrived. She took cautious steps, still searching for a familiar face.

"Chihiro?" Ah, there. That voice.

Chihiro whipped around, a smile spread across her face. "Haku!" She cried, half running half swimming over to him. "You're here!"

"Yes, of course I'd be here." Haku smiled at her gently, cupping her cheek when she was near enough. "But what are _you_ doing here, Chihiro?"

"I... I'm not sure." Chihiro laughed as a thought occurred to her. "Maybe this is a dream."

Haku frowned. "Chihiro, you shouldn't dream of this place. You've already been stuck here before, but that was your physical body, which retained that tie to the world of the living, but as you are now... as only your spirit... You might become trapped here forever."

"...What do you mean?" The young girl wasn't sure what to make of it. It's not like she had willed herself to dream of this place. It's not like she _wanted to_... No, that's not right. It's true she didn't want to dream of this _place_, but she did want to see _Haku_, and with wanting to see Haku came this place. That must have been it. "But I wanted to see you..." She trailed off, not wanting to meet Haku's eyes.

"I told you not to look back. Please keep on looking forward." Haku pressed his forehead against hers, placing his arms around her shoulders. "Don't ever come back Chihiro. You don't belong here."

It was this warmth that she wanted. Despite being at the bottom of the ocean, despite how cold she should have been, she felt content in his arms. This is what she missed the most. This love that only Haku could give her.

"But I want to stay with you." Chihiro defended, returning his embrace.

"You can't do that Chihiro." Haku whispered to her gently. "If you come back again, you might not be here. You might end up in a darker place. So go back home. Don't look back."

Chihiro could feel the ground shake beneath her. The water sloshed around them, a warning sign to some kind of storm that would tear them apart. She gripped onto the fabric of his clothes, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white. "No, Haku, I want to be with you just a little while longer! Please! Haku!"

Haku released her from his embrace and sent her a gentle smile. "It's time to wake up, Chihiro."

xxx

"_It's time to wake up, Chihiro."_

"_Come on, honey, wake up."_

Chihiro opened her eyes a small crack, barely just enough to see her mother tower over her. She could feel her mother's hand brushing through her hair as unfamiliar droplets of water trailed down her cheeks and stained her pillow. "M-Mom?"

"Morning, honey. How are you?" Her mother's eyes showed clearly that she was worried.

"I'm okay." Chihiro responded, unsure why she was crying. Perhaps she was dreaming a sad dream. Perhaps it was a tragedy. "What's wrong Mom, you look... worried?"

Her mother shook her head and wiped the tears away from Chihiro's eyes. "No, it's nothing honey. Why don't you stay home today?"

Chihiro tried to sit up, but found that she couldn't. She didn't bother to try to find the reason why. She assumed she was just lacking in sleep and remained in her comfortable position beneath the covers. "Okay, then."

"Good girl," she smiled, planted a kiss on her baby's forehead and walked away, "I'll bring you some breakfast."

Chihiro smiled and nodded, "Alright. Thanks Mom."

She wasn't sure when she'd passed out again, but before she knew it, Chihiro was floating again, right at the surface of the water, where she would undoubtedly take the plunge once again with the name "Haku" to guide her.

xxx

"_Honey, don't cry. She'll get better. The doctor said so."_

"_I... I just don't know if I can believe that. She's been like this ever since we moved here. I'm so worried!"_

Chihiro could hear her parents from her room. She couldn't understand what they were talking about. All she knew was that she was tired. Deathly tired and all she wanted to do was sleep. It didn't matter that she was always woke up crying. What mattered was the warmth she felt in her dream. That irresistible warmth...

xxx

"Haku, why did you tell me go away the first time?" Chihiro questioned as she and Haku sat on the bridge, their legs dangling off the edge dangerously.

Haku gave her a glance and chuckled. "Did I say that?" He smiled when she gave him an adorable pout. "I was worried. When you dream about this world, you could get trapped. It's good you saw me first, but had you ended up somewhere else, somewhere dark... I don't know what I'd do. Dark entities out there... They want to use your live spirit. They'll feed off of your life force until you're completely drained, stuck in their world and gone from your world. They'll steal your soul, Chihiro. You're more vulnerable to staying here than other humans who dream because you've been here. Chihiro, it's not safe."

Chihiro grinned and straightened herself proudly. "Well, that's never going to happen because I always end up here! Here, with you, Haku!"

Haku laughed alongside her. "Yes, you're right."

"But, hey, Haku, I've been wondering." Chihiro stated, giving Haku a worried look. "How come I haven't seen anyone else?"

"I thought you only wanted to see me, Chihiro." Haku feigned a hurt look as Chihiro suddenly began to fumble with her words.

"I-I do! I really wanted to see you!" She stuttered, waving her hands up as if to clear up any misunderstandings.

"Then I'm the only person you need to see, right?"

Chihiro grinned. "Yeah, Haku is the only one I need."

xxx

_Beep... beep... beep..._

The sounds of the heart monitor let out a steady, monotonous beep.

This annoying, unfamiliar sound woke up Chihiro from her slumber. When had that been placed by her beside? When did someone stick this strange thing into her arm? Why were her curtains closed when it was the middle of the afternoon? Where was her mother?

She tried to speak, but found herself too weak to open her mouth let alone utter comprehensible sounds. She didn't know why she couldn't do this. She couldn't understand. And instead of trying, she went back to sleep, ready to lose herself in Haku's warmth once again.

_Beep... beep... beep..._

xxx

"Hey, Haku," Chihiro began, swinging her legs off the bridge and resting her head on his shoulder, "I've been spending more time here recently. Y'know, before I wake up. Why is that?"

Haku pursed his lips, trying his best to contain an uncharacteristic grin from his calm features. "I don't know. Maybe because you want to be with me more with every passing day?"

Chihiro giggled, lightly smacking Haku from his comment. "How cheesy!"

"I'm only saying the truth." Haku laughed as he threw his arms around the laughing girl, pulling her into a tight hug. "Chihiro, I can't live without you, and I know you won't be able to either." He buried his face at the crook of her neck as an uncontrollable, almost maniacal smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Chihiro, you can't live. Not while I'm here."

Taking it as a joke, Chihiro only laughed and returned his hug. "You're talking funny, Haku."

Haku laughed. "Yes, maybe I am, but you know, Chihiro. I want you to be here forever. With me."

Chihiro blushed a deep red as she averted her eyes from Haku's breathtaking gaze. His adoration for her made her numb, swallowed whole in his words of sweet nothings. She was losing herself in his words. "Okay, Haku. I'll stay here."

Haku hugged her even closer, tighter, refusing to give her even the slightest bit of wiggle room. "Thank you, Chihiro." Just as the words slipped past his mouth, Haku's eyes glowed a malicious red, his face distorting into a demonic mask. His teeth grew sharper, more dangerous and his eyes slanted like a beast's, ready to hunt its prey.

"I'll do everything I can..." Pulling away from Chihiro and looking at her in the eyes, Haku reverted back to his gentle facade and gazed at her lovingly. "...To make you stay here with me so, share the rest of _your life_ _with me_." Haku leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss. "_Forever."_

xxx

_..._

Chhiro's parents rushed into the room, the stay-in nurses not too far behind them. Despite arriving there first, they could only stand and stare as the heart rate monitor went flat and their daughter's body still as the furniture around her.

Chihiro had a smile on her face and, as if stuck in a perpetual dream, not a single tear was shed. She was at ease at least, but gone forever She was happy, but that was a dream. She was with Haku, but only she thought that. Chihiro believed she was loved; she was just dinner.

**xxx**

**TA: Uhm... Yeah, first Spirited Away fic. It was the first thing that popped into my head and so this is what came out of it. DX Sorry if it sucks... T.T Ah, and before anyone asks, her first encounter with Haku was with the real Haku. Every time after that was one of those "dark entities" that used her love for Haku to lure her in and suck her life force away. o.o  
**


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